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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27445504">almost lovers always do</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LesbianLucretia/pseuds/LesbianLucretia'>LesbianLucretia</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Date Night, F/M, Goodbyes, Non-Explicit Sex</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:34:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,060</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27445504</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LesbianLucretia/pseuds/LesbianLucretia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s midnight when she drops the bombshell onto him. </p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Summer Rose/Taiyang Xiao Long</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>almost lovers always do</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i been sitting on this one for a while, better post it now with volume 8 out. just some feelings about summer and tai.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It’s midnight when she drops the bombshell onto him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’re having a night in, Qrow had offered to watch the girls overnight and Taiyang had whipped up a nice dinner. They’d talked and laughed and when dinner was finished they found themselves pausing on washing dishes to turn up the radio.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Summer had her head resting on Tai’s shoulder, doing what was less of a dance and more of a swaying hug. Pressed so close, she let her eyes fall shut as the grandfather clock in the living room chimed 12 times.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to go on a mission,” She murmured so quietly into his collarbone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tai tensed but didn’t stop the gentle movement. He didn’t respond. He just pressed his cheek to the top of her head and held onto her tighter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tai.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighs. “Can we just have this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tai.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t we just rest?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Taiyang.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ooh, full name. You only break that out when I’m in trouble.” He tries to joke but his voice wavers dangerously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Summer pulls away with a sigh and looks up at him. His deep blue eyes are wet and glistening. She gently, so gently reaches up and cups his jaw, rubbing her thumb against the scratch of his stubble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just for tonight?” He begs, pleads. “Please. I- I don’t know what you’ve been so worried about recently but I just-- I want this for you. I want you to have just one night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shakes her head gently. “I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His breath hitches and stutters and he leans forward, hiding his face on her shoulder. She pulls him close. He clings to her like he wants to drown in her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When?” He asks, his words muffled by her skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know.” She knows he understands what the words really mean.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did Oz ask you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” She admits, gripping tighter onto her husband.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He goes silent as he attempts to get his stuttering breathing under control. She continues to sway with him. The song on the radio doesn’t drown out the sound of a Beowolf in the distance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it for yourself?” He asks her, and she freezes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” She half-lies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tai pulls away from her again with a heavy sigh. He cups her face this time, pressing an oh-so-soft kiss on her lips before pressing another to her forehead. He rests his own against hers and exhales shakily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish you would tell me what’s wrong.” He whispers. “I wish you would trust me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I trust you with my life.” She tells him. “With my soul.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, well,” He scoffs bitterly. “Not enough to let me help you .”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This isn’t something you can help me with.” She murmurs and steals another kiss. “I’m sorry. I really, really am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shakes his head minutely. “What’ll I tell the girls?” His voice breaks on the last word and Summer moves to press her palms to his jaw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s going to be okay, love.” She tells him. “Really.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> don’t know that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Summer whispers. She smiles at him sadly. “No, you don’t, but it will be. Trust me on this, if anything.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He blinks rapidly and surges forward, kissing her so hard their teeth click together for just a second. She welcomes him and draws him, kissing back like it’s the last time they’ll ever be able to. Like she’s going to disappear any second with a slash of a blade and a gentle whir of an opening in the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>(She doesn’t blame him for being so afraid. She blames herself.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They drag each other upstairs and fall into bed together. It’s the most literal definition of making love, tonight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soft and slow and sweet and desperate. Gentle gasps and stuttering hips, slick and warm-- simply adding to the humidity of the summer night. It’s so, so warm but that doesn’t stop them from pressing skin to bare skin, trying to touch every inch of each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>(Taiyang starts sobbing in the middle of it. Summer wipes the tears away but it doesn’t stop either of them.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She lets herself have a couple of hours of holding Tai close, the moon filtering through the transparent curtains. She lets herself breathe, to really think about it. She closes her eyes and looks and knows, instantly, that if she remains it could all end horribly, terribly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Summer can’t stay. She wants to-- she desperately, selfishly wants to. She knows this is what’s going to break Taiyang, to finally cause him to spiral. She’s already told Qrow she’s going on a mission. She knows they’ll take care of her daughters, because they are her daughters. Both of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>(Summer was the one to feed and clothe and bathe Yang starting when she was only 2 weeks old. She didn’t give life to her, no, but Summer knows she’s more of Yang’s mother than Raven ever will be.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sky is beginning to lighten when Summer forces herself to move away from Tai and dress. She doesn’t pack a bag. She just puts on her Huntress attire and cloak, securing her weapon to her body. She’s running on autopilot, right now. She has a mission.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>(It’s for the greater good, she keeps telling herself. She doesn’t want to believe it.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Summer,” Tai calls to her from the bed as she’s turning the handle to the bedroom, and she turns. His eyes are challenging her. “I love you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She freezes, every muscle in her body tensing. The hand not gripping the door handle begins to tremble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a plea. A plea for her to stay; to take off her cloak, her shoes, her weapon. To come back into bed, to shut out the world, to tell him what’s going to happen. He’s being terribly manipulative and she wants wants </span>
  <em>
    <span>wants </span>
  </em>
  <span>it to work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shakes her head before she closes her eyes and Looks, just to remind herself of why she has to. Tai knows what she’s doing and purses his lips, looking away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” He tells her. “I get it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” She chokes on her words like she’s bitten into a poison apple.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” He says, his tone flat and his eyes dead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you. I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Taiyang sighs. “Just… just come back. Please, come back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It takes all her courage to look away from him and to turn that handle.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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